His name
by Tincent
Summary: Tifa has a secret she's kept for some time and Cloud is bent on finding the answer. Once the name is revealed,will this change their friendship forever?
1. Default Chapter

A/N's - It's been a rough few weeks for me so I wanted to write something with some anger to it. I'm not very proud that I've left out a lot of description and dove head strong for the dialog this time. So it's not something I'd say I'd write normally. But I needed to vent a little and this came to me out of right field. So tell me if i should send it to the showers or write about Cloud's reactions. I welcome flames, but please leave crude remarks at the door.

Possible spoilers - well if you think everyone dies in the end of the game that is….Nah I didn't think you did but anyways….

Disclaimer - Nope, don't own em' but I'd be one happy camper if I did. Only own the idea of this one shot ((might be posted in two parts)). Err, and that may or may not pan out to be a good thing.

On with the ficcie!

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The moment of anxiety had finally ended as the celebration erupted from the massive airship's crew. The planet was safe & now the seven hero's could finally take a much needed vacation. As the Highwind finds ground, the young ninja was one of the first to exit the ships deck.

"Land!" Yuffie cries out as her heavy feet thundered down the ramp with arms spread wide. Pushing off the metal slate, the dark haired warrior dove for the fresh clumped soil face first. From the observation deck, Barret winces a bit watching the teenaged girl hit the ground full force. "Damn thads gotta hurt.." he breathes. Looking over one shoulder, his dark eyes meet the Mako blue hero's. A curt nod exchanged, Barret turns his attention back to the door where Tifa emerges.

Smiling sweetly back at Barret, Tifa finds a space next to Cloud. She waits patiently wondering what was in store for them now. They'd been through so much together and now that the planet had been saved it was once again time to start over. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him. To cry…to laugh and rejoice. Cloud stood looking quietly out at the horizon lost deep within his thoughts as her voice breaks into his consciousness.

" what are you thinking of?"

Blinking for what felt the first time in ages, Cloud takes in the sweet air of victory. He pauses before answering . This was a moment he never thought would have come given the past few months. But now…

"Cloud?" Tifa's brow knit in concern as her dark eyes sought out acknowledgement.

"Hmm?" his lips still pressed together, Cloud's gaze falters slightly looking back at the dark haired woman. Tifa shoots him a half hearted smirk as her right arm finds its way around his waist. Lifting his arm up, Cloud slips his left arm back around Tifa's slender form.

"It's so beautiful."

Tifa rests against Cloud's form. "What is?"

"Everything… it's so…" Cloud was at a loss of words.

Tifa smiles deeply by this. "Yes it is. We did it. Our planet.."

"No, Aeris saved us all"

The mention of the deceased woman sent Tifa a step back. Cloud looks back suddenly feeling Tifa's embrace slip away. Quirking a blonde brow, Cloud's questioning gaze studies the brunette. Tifa pulls her arms tightly around her waist as she keeps her eyes averted to a distant patch of forest.

"Hey.." Cloud says finally as he bends his left arm, he playfully nudges the back of Tifa's upper right arm. She remained still which was a tell tale sign he'd somehow ticked her off.

"You going to talk to me or are you just going to stand there and pout?"

Tifa turns giving Cloud a warning glance but finds something else to stare at instead of the spiky haired man. "I wasn't pouting.." she states

"Really?" Cloud comes up behind her testing Tifa's patience "then what was your lower lip doing stuck out …" a hand comes up from out of no where and a pair of fingers lightly assault Tifa' lower lip tugging it gently. Her brows furrow as she slaps at Strife's hand. Cloud's laughs at the young woman's fruitless attempts to push him away.

"What's wrong Teef?" his fingers finding their way to her ribs.

"Stop…" Tifa gasps and squirms under Cloud's hold. He continues poking gently till Tifa had quite enough. A closed fist right handed punch catches Strife square in his chest which quickly brought the his advances to an end. Cloud looks back at the woman wide eyed as he lets out a short cough

"What the hell Teef?" Strife spats.

"I told you to stop? Tifa snaps back as she turns her back to him brushing off the ruffles in her mid drift. Cloud shakes his head and mumbles just enough that Tifa could hear his every word. She sighs looking up at the sky for some condolence. There was none.

"Geeze… can't even play with you anymore.." Cloud continues to speak when Tifa decides to face him again. Cloud swallows giving her a hurt look but she wasn't falling for it.

"What?" he asks finally

"What" Tifa repeats

Cloud's brows knit in frustration , "I asked you first. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing" she replies shortly

"What did I do to piss you off then?"

Tifa shoots Cloud a look of utter annoyance and replies "I'm not pissed."

"Yes you are"

"no…" Tifa laughs shortly, " .. No I'm not pissed."

"Teef.. I know when you're pissed at me…"

"Oh?" Tifa arches a high brow. "So you're an expert on how I'm feeling now?"

"I never said…"

"Tell me something…" Tifa's brows drawn, she watches Strife blatantly. "what are you going to do now that everything is over…now that _Aeris_ has saved us all?"

Cloud watches Tifa for a moment letting out a light laugh. "That's why you are ticked? Because of what I said about Aeries? Sheesh Teef, I was only…"

"I don't give a damn about what Aeris said or did… or…" Tifa blurts out but quickly clasps her lips back into a thin line before she spoke too much. Cloud shakes his head slowly looking down at her feet.

"I thought you two were friends…"

"We were friends!" Tifa snaps back at him knitting her arms tighter around her form to keep her hands securely in place. " I'm just sick of hearing about how great Aeris did this and Aeris did that. And now…" Tifa gives a short sarcastic laugh " she's even saved the planet and all of us to! Wow you'd think we had something of another to do with it all seeming we were all there but her to fight Sephiroth!"

"Where the hell is all of this…" Cloud asks but is quickly interrupted.

"It's nothing! Okay? It's nothing, I was just…" Tifa tosses her hands lightly up "I was pms'ing is all."

Cloud watches Tifa for a moment, "Teef why do you hate her so much?"

"Hate her? Who said I hate Aeris?"

"You just said…"

"I just said I'm sick of hearing about her alright? Dammit Cloud just because I don't feel like talking about one of my best friends constantly with you ever since she died doesn't mean I hate her! I loved her Cloud! I loved her like she was the sister I'd never have. I never will have! Gods don't you get it?" Tifa searches Cloud's eyes desperately.

"Get it?" he repeats her question as the look on his face clearly states that he didn't have a clue. Tifa sighs and slowly lets her eyes close with a shake of her head in defeat.

"Forget it… you don't… just forget it."

"Wait a minute, is it that you're jealous…"

"Jealous! Oh ….for the love of Shiva… Cloud" Tifa takes a breath as her hands find both her temples to try and relax some tension building.

"That's it isn't it?" Cloud persists "you're jealous over our relationship."

"Oh would you cut the bullshit…I wasn't jealous over your friendship!"

Cloud smirks as he folds his arms. "You are even denying that we had a relationship."

" I am not! Why would I…"

"Teef, we weren't just friends. I thought you knew."

"What? You think I didn't know? Cloud I don't care if you had a _relationship_ with her."

Strife smirks again "Then why say it like that?"

"Say what like how?"

"Relationship. Obviously you do care."

Tifa looks up at the sky and cries out tugging at her bangs in frustration as Cloud studies her closely. Shaking her head she drops her hands back down to her sides.

"I'm tired of this. As far as I'm concerned it's over. You've had your relationships and I've had mine. It doesn't matter to me anymore. I just want to get off this forsaken thing and go home!"

"Who?"

Tifa grunts in frustration when she hears the single word spoken. "It doesn't matter, it's in the past Cloud….just leave it there."

Cloud presses more. "Come on, who was it? Cid?"

Tifa shoots Cloud a bewildered look. "What? No! Gods no!"

Cloud laughs lightly and continues, "someone in the team?"

Tifa shakes her head no as Cloud becomes more puzzled.

"Then who? Was it someone I knew?"

"Did know.." Tifa says before she could stop herself. She quickly closed her eyes and turns away from Cloud.

"Really? Who was it then? Was he in SOLDIER?"

She didn't want to face him now as she shook her head yes "You could say that" she replies.

"Come on, you got to tell me"

"No,… I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? Teef, you can't hold out on me. You know I'm going to make you tell me."

"I'm going home." Tifa says finally as she turns to the exit ramp when Strife's hand clamps down around her upper arm preventing her from escape.

"Cloud, please." Tifa turns looking back up into his questioning gaze.

"Come on, it's not like I'm going to get mad or anything."

"Oh I don't know about that…" Tifa replies turning her eyes away to distract herself with.

"You're not leaving until you tell me" Cloud threatens

Tifa sighs and cursing under her breath, she thinks for a moment wondering how she would manage getting herself out of Cloud's grasps and off the ship without telling him.

"Spit it out Lockheart"

"No…"

"Come on…"

"Cloud….." Tifa turns her eyes back on him giving Strife a warning.

"His name Teef, that's all. And I'll let you go I swear"

Shaking her head, Tifa tries to pull back some to have a bit of distance between herself and Cloud but he held on. "It's been so long ago…" she starts and hesitates with each word. " ..I was so young and it's just…why do you even care?"

"What's the big deal? Why can't you say his name?"

"Trust me…" Tifa breathes ducking her eyes from his gaze. "He's not someone you like"

"Was he a Turk or something?" Cloud asks as his mind swims with ideas "It's not Vincent is it?"

"No…." Tifa replies letting the word slip off her tongue as she tries to bite it.

"If it was so long ago and he's not a Turk….and he was in SOLDIER then why would I be mad now?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. It was in the past ….way in my past." Tifa begins to babble out loud "I was young, and he was there in Nibelheim & it just… happened. Gods I can't believe I ever agreed to go with him to his hotel room."

This had Cloud dumbfounded. Tightening his grip a little more, he presses Tifa to spill one more time till she finally gives into his demand and speaks the man's name that she'd kept hidden for so many years.

"Sephiroth"


	2. Denial & Confrontation

A/N's - I've noticed that I'd messed up on the start of the story after I've had time to look back at it. Thanks Carla for showing me that one. So I guess you guys like this one so I'll try to amuse you one last time and give you Cloud's reaction. Sorry ahead of time if it's some what rough but it's the first time in almost a week I took a break from playing the sims university ( sheesh, Maxis & their addictive games) I thank you all for the reviews, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and mush and such. So I welcome what you guys think of this, and sorry ahead of time for the shortness to this story

Disclaimer- Not that I'd ever own anything,… okay so I own some clothes, two birds & a box of cereal. But not anyone in this fic so if you sue me, I sure hope you can get along with two budgies & a half box of opened Fruit Loops…

Anyways, on with it already!

Tifa exhales a short breath while crossing her arms in defense & preparing for what will inevitably be one hell of a fight. Cloud blinks looking back at her while the words seeped into his head for a moment. Unable to read his reaction at first, Tifa knits her brow in frustration.

"Well?" she asks breaking the moment of silence.

Slowly the corners of the thin lips began to rise as the smile parted & showering her in a burst of frantic laughter. This wasn't at all what Tifa had expected from him. The more he laughed and carried on, the more anger she felt.

"Oh..oh Teef…" trying to catch his breath between laughing and speaking, "Good one…you had me there at first…" Cloud stops short & straightening his stance, he quickly brushes the back of one hand across each lid of his eyes. "That was one hell of a joke.."

"I wasn't joking." the words cut back into his sentence forcing him to silence his obnoxious behavior. "If there is one thing I'd never kid about, it'd be having slept with that man." she shakes her head slightly more or less thinking to herself than allowing the words to be heard from the man standing a few feet from her.

A veil of silence slips back over Cloud as he looks back at Tifa with eyes she could only guess were of agitation. She shifts her frame to balance her weight on the tired legs begging her to sit. Suddenly Cloud replies, "No.. you just didn't say you slept with…" his voice trails off as he shakes his head quickly and spats out in utter disgust , ".._Sephiroth_?"

"It wasn't like I'd planned on sleeping with that man! It just happened!" Of course that was a lie. She had every intention that day to give him anything he wanted from her. Any girl for that matter would have freely flung themselves at the generals feet.

"No, no.. no.." Cloud takes in a quick breath to collect himself, " Cutting your finger while sharpening a blade 'just happens'! Or accidentally printing a wrong date on a service form 'just happens' sometimes but you! You fucked the one man that…"

Tifa cuts in "It's not like I screwed his brains out after he went off the deep end of the planet Cloud!"

"Oh so it makes it right for you to have banged him any other time?" he spats back breathlessly looking at her with bewildered eyes.

"I told you before it was in my past! And it should have stayed there dammit!" her cheeks now flushed, Tifa anger ran deep throughout her limbs and exploding the words back at the man equally enraged. Cloud turns from Tifa and starts to pace…

"For the sake of savior Tifa… why him? Of all the planets people, … _him_!"

Shaking her head, Tifa sighs looking back over her shoulder when she hears her last name shouted from the ground below. Looking down at the small gathering in the field, Tifa distinguishes that Cid singled her out.

"You comin' down here Lockheart or are ya just going to stay on board all night?"

"I'll be down in a minute!" Tifa calls back to the captain and turns her attention back to Cloud. "I've said what I needed to say so I'm leaving."

"Oh no, hell no we are not finished talking yet.." Cloud starts for her but Tifa turns and starts her exit from the Highwind.

"Yes we are Cloud, now just drop it please.." Tifa breathes looking back over her shoulder as he is right on her heals storming the exit ramp.

"No I'm not about to drop it!" he screams back at her. Soon as their feet were planted on the fertile soil, Cloud grasps a hold of Tifa's left bicep and quickly spins the woman around to face him. Glaring back up at the man, Tifa shoves both hands into his chest which he quickly releases his hold.

"Stop it!" she insists.

The rest of the group looked back at the two quarreling but as soon as Tifa's arm was grasped, Barret quickly came to her defense.

"Aye, watch it Spike" the taller of the three gave Cloud a look & then back at Tifa "You okay"

"I'm fine, Barret.. I just want to go home." she breathes back barely above a whisper while facing the AVALANCHE member.

Cloud's hand claims Tifa's right wrist just before she could take another step. Tifa stops short and turns her head back looking at him. "Let go"

"Not until we finish this."

"There's nothing else to say about it now let go of me!"

"Let her go now Strife" all eyes turn back to the solitary form that blended with the evening shadows.

"Stay out of it Valentine." Cloud says shortly and looks Barret square in the eyes, " And you too Wallace. This is between Tifa and myself."

"I said drop it already!" Tifa snaps her wrists free as she glares back up at the cool blue gaze.

"Not until you tell me why Teef!"

"I don't know why! I just did it okay? It was only a one time thing anyways"

"Oh well that's a relief" Cloud mutters sarcastically crossing his arms against his chest. Tifa narrows her eyes and with a shake of her head she stands for a moment debating to say anything else or to let it go and just walk away.

"Could you guys tell us what's goin' on already?" the dark haired teen asks

"No!" Tifa snaps back at her as Cloud smirks and opens his mouth to speak. Tifa quickly realizing what he was intending to do, she tries desperately to silence him. It's not like it was any of their business, or his for that matter.

"Cloud I said to drop it & I mean it!" giving him a wide eyed look, Tifa stares him down as Cloud let's a light chuckle escape. So that was it? She's scared that her little secret would get out he thought. Hmm, fine then…

"What Teef? Scared that everyone here is going to hate you for sleeping with him?"

"Cloud…" Tifa breathes his name low as her hands flex the numbing fingers. "Don't.."

Yuffie perks at the whim of gossip. "Ooooh Tifa's got a boyfriend? Ooo who is it?" the teen asks excitedly.

"Piss off…" Tifa snaps. This wasn't her. She didn't mean to be so rude to the girl. In fact she rather liked the spunky ninja. Aside of stealing, she was a good ally. Yuffie looks back at the older woman and blows a short breath at her.

"Sheesh, take a chill pill.." she mutters and turns her attention back at Cloud. Yuffie pushes more wanting to know who it was. She starts naming off everyone in the party. Even Aeris. Cloud shook hishead andreplies no to all the names as Yuffie continues mouthing off. Tifa sighs watching the two go back and forth for a moment but sees the small window of opportunity of escape.

Turning, Tifa starts walking towards one of the pre-saddled chocobo's they'd kept onboard for their missions. She freezes when she hears the one word scream out into the night. She could feel all eyes on her now. If she ran, she'd be a coward. If she stayed,… she have to face them all. Now would be the ultimate test of all their friendship. She stood her ground now terrified of the outcome. _Damn him. Damn Cloud Strife in the spot he stood._

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_fin_


End file.
